FLING PHYSICAL THEATRE was founded in 2001 by Dancer/Choreographer Lee Pemberton, with the support of Jennifer Hunt, then Regional Arts Development Officer at South East Arts. Over a number of its early projects, Lee and FLING developed a strong choreographic voice reflecting the regional location and unique community of the Bega Valley. This voice connected with the young people of the region, offering them opportunities to learn physical and performance skills, to explore creative ideas, and to develop their sense of identity, self-worth and resilience. FLING brought visiting professional artists to the region, as collaborators on projects and with creative residency programs, while also offering employment to local composers, designers, musicians and artists, supporting and developing the local cultural ecology. Over time, a strong community of supporters grew around the organisation, and FLING became an important part of the cultural landscape of the Bega Valley.
FLING's reputation began to expand beyond the region as FLING works toured, including major tours of Dictionary of Habits to Eden, Moruya and Parramatta Riverside (2005), Who will come to the Rescue? to Merrigong Theatre Company and Parramatta Riverside (2007) and Sol's Way, also to Merrigong and Parramatta (2009). In 2012, FLING was proud to represent Australia at the Singapore Youth Festival.
In 2008, FLING presented Awake, an ambitious work with a cast of 88 performers drawn from the local community, ranging in age from 8 to 80 years. The scale of FLING works was impressive for the size of the organisation and the community, with works such as The Voyage (2010), being described as operatic in vision. This large scale vision continued with The Idea of South (2012), Socialsize Me (2013), and X the Floor (2014). The Idea of South was shortlisted for an Australian Dance Award for outstanding achievement in Youth or Community Dance.
Lee Pemberton stepped down from the role of Artistic Director at the end of 2015, having developed a team of young artists being mentored into leadership roles, ready to take the organisation into its next phase.
Gabrielle Rose and Rob McCredie were appointed Co Artistic Directors from 2016, (having joined the organisation in 2013 and 2014 respectively). New works for the opening of the Four Winds Festival and major collaborative work Home in early 2016, were followed by the creation and regional tour of We will come to the Rescue to Yass, Bathurst and Artlands Dubbo, the National Regional Arts Conference.
Since 2016, FLING has continued to consolidate its programs within our community and reach out to new communities through new collaborations and expanded programs, including an Inclusive Dance Program, and new projects continuing to develop connections to the Yuin Nation. FLING's core Youth Company Programs have continued to produce high quality original work, including Body and Environment (2018) which won an Australian Dance Award, and My Black Dog (2019), winner of the Way Ahead Mental Health Matters Award for Youth, and ambitious works created with the YFLING and FLUX Creators Companies- like I Believe in Monsters (2017) and Monkey See, Monkey Do (2018). In 2020 The FLING Company performed in Sydney Festival, in ENCOUNTER, a major collaboration with FORM Dance Projects and Sydney Youth Orchestras.
FLING's reputation began to expand beyond the region as FLING works toured, including major tours of Dictionary of Habits to Eden, Moruya and Parramatta Riverside (2005), Who will come to the Rescue? to Merrigong Theatre Company and Parramatta Riverside (2007) and Sol's Way, also to Merrigong and Parramatta (2009). In 2012, FLING was proud to represent Australia at the Singapore Youth Festival.
In 2008, FLING presented Awake, an ambitious work with a cast of 88 performers drawn from the local community, ranging in age from 8 to 80 years. The scale of FLING works was impressive for the size of the organisation and the community, with works such as The Voyage (2010), being described as operatic in vision. This large scale vision continued with The Idea of South (2012), Socialsize Me (2013), and X the Floor (2014). The Idea of South was shortlisted for an Australian Dance Award for outstanding achievement in Youth or Community Dance.
Lee Pemberton stepped down from the role of Artistic Director at the end of 2015, having developed a team of young artists being mentored into leadership roles, ready to take the organisation into its next phase.
Gabrielle Rose and Rob McCredie were appointed Co Artistic Directors from 2016, (having joined the organisation in 2013 and 2014 respectively). New works for the opening of the Four Winds Festival and major collaborative work Home in early 2016, were followed by the creation and regional tour of We will come to the Rescue to Yass, Bathurst and Artlands Dubbo, the National Regional Arts Conference.
Since 2016, FLING has continued to consolidate its programs within our community and reach out to new communities through new collaborations and expanded programs, including an Inclusive Dance Program, and new projects continuing to develop connections to the Yuin Nation. FLING's core Youth Company Programs have continued to produce high quality original work, including Body and Environment (2018) which won an Australian Dance Award, and My Black Dog (2019), winner of the Way Ahead Mental Health Matters Award for Youth, and ambitious works created with the YFLING and FLUX Creators Companies- like I Believe in Monsters (2017) and Monkey See, Monkey Do (2018). In 2020 The FLING Company performed in Sydney Festival, in ENCOUNTER, a major collaboration with FORM Dance Projects and Sydney Youth Orchestras.
Click here for more info about FLING's Current and Past Projects.
FOUnding Director
Lee Pemberton
An influential dance artist and choreographer, Lee Pemberton is the founding director of FLING Physical Theatre. A graduate of the Melbourne University's V.C.A. School of Dance, her career in dance and choreographic practice spans nearly four decades and developed through her interest in education and human development.
Lee's work at FLING celebrated young people living in the Bega Valley. She created and produced more than twenty full-length works that focused on issues concerning young people including environmental awareness, self-worth and self-development, risk-taking behaviour, and family and social issues. She developed a training pedagogy and range of regional dance programs including visiting artist residencies, performance tours, schools programs and secondment opportunities. Under her vision, FLING became NSW's first professionally supported Youth Dance Company.
Following her departure from FLING, Lee was a recipient of 2016 Create N.S.W. Regional Arts Fellowship which ignited her current practice involving site-specific immersive dance work where past and future meet. In a series of events called Incomplete Ever Unfolding, she presents performances in small settings for intimate audience experience. She is also developing a local network for creative performers called Bedrock Creators and has produced a duet called Another Extinction with Delia Silvan, created during the tragic fires of 2020.
For more info visit Lee's website, or Bedrock Creators.
An influential dance artist and choreographer, Lee Pemberton is the founding director of FLING Physical Theatre. A graduate of the Melbourne University's V.C.A. School of Dance, her career in dance and choreographic practice spans nearly four decades and developed through her interest in education and human development.
Lee's work at FLING celebrated young people living in the Bega Valley. She created and produced more than twenty full-length works that focused on issues concerning young people including environmental awareness, self-worth and self-development, risk-taking behaviour, and family and social issues. She developed a training pedagogy and range of regional dance programs including visiting artist residencies, performance tours, schools programs and secondment opportunities. Under her vision, FLING became NSW's first professionally supported Youth Dance Company.
Following her departure from FLING, Lee was a recipient of 2016 Create N.S.W. Regional Arts Fellowship which ignited her current practice involving site-specific immersive dance work where past and future meet. In a series of events called Incomplete Ever Unfolding, she presents performances in small settings for intimate audience experience. She is also developing a local network for creative performers called Bedrock Creators and has produced a duet called Another Extinction with Delia Silvan, created during the tragic fires of 2020.
For more info visit Lee's website, or Bedrock Creators.
Lee Pemberton - Another Extinction. Image Michael Adams
PAST COLLABORATING ARTISTS
FLING Physical Theatre has a proud history of employing exceptional artists from the Bega Valley and around Australia to collaborate with our creative team, regional community and young performers. Below are a few key collaborators on major past projects.
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Kate Denborough
Emma Saunders Gerry Corcoran Tim Newth Holly Durant Nick Power David Hewitt Dan Scollay Heath Cullen |
Joshua Thompson
Matt Cornell Adelina Larsson Jane Davis Tully Ward Helen Linkenbaugh Charles Koroneho Fiona Malone Adam Wheeler |
Don Asker
Jane Mortiss Jodie Farrugia Anton Steph Hutchinson Gareth Hart Colleen Meessmann John Hunt Ben Moroney |
Tess de Quincey
Victoria Hunt B Boy Swipa Kirk Page Rowan Marchingo Ingrid Kleinig Alexandra Harrison |
FLING ALUMNI
FLING Physical Theatre has built a strong reputation for producing highly skilled performers. Many alumni have gone on to tertiary training and professional careers in the performing arts.
FLING regularly employs alumni as guest teachers and collaborators on projects. We also offer residencies and commissions to alumni who have recently graduated from tertiary courses to support the continued development of their practice as emerging artists.
The following list is just a few of the many young people who have engaged with FLING over its history, who have gone on to further training in the arts.
FLING regularly employs alumni as guest teachers and collaborators on projects. We also offer residencies and commissions to alumni who have recently graduated from tertiary courses to support the continued development of their practice as emerging artists.
The following list is just a few of the many young people who have engaged with FLING over its history, who have gone on to further training in the arts.
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Julie Baker - Adelaide Centre Performing Arts
Lauren Gemmell - Bathurst University Patrick Meessmann - VCA, Opera Vic Leif Helland - VCA, Chunky Move Sebastian Rideaux - NICA, Solitare Circus Stephanie Tatzenko - Wesley University Ruby Dwyer - QUT Braydon Zirkler - Swinburne University Naomi Hayman - Wesley University Carly Williams - NICA Jenna Carragher - Deakin University Tayo Wilson - NICA Abbey Jessop - Wesley University Jared Mizon - Fresh Funk Ryl Harris - VCA |
Solomon Thomas - Wollongong University
Heidi Atkins - Wollongong University Karina Gaal - Deakin University Madison Phillips - Deakin University Matthew Hyde - VCA Kyall Shanks - VCA Olivia McPherson - VCA Siobhan McKenna - VCA Jacqueline Trapp - VCA Cassia Jamieson - NICA Tully Doole - Deakin University Jazmyn Carter - VCA Isabelle Champagne Chittick - NICA Julien Comer Kleine - VCA Rory Warne - SDC PPY, VCA |
